A HAPPY and smiling Prince Charles went back to school - and remembered his beloved gran.

He spent two hours at Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, sitting in classes and watching the pupils brush up on their computer skills, maths, Shakespeare and French.

In a computer class, he learned how GCSE pupils were designing a game to be used in a family car.

The beaming prince opened the school's new library which has been named in honour of his late grandmother, the Queen Mother .

"I'm sure my grandmother would have been very pleased to see it and to have known you have named it after her," he told 300 pupils, staff and dignitaries in the school hall.

He joked before lavishing praise on the school, which has just been given language college status for broadening the pupils' horizons.

The school's twinning with a township in Pretoria, South Africa, and a glowing Ofsted report, were also lauded by the prince.

Earlier, Charles visited Bowdon Synagogue and then launched a new era of space exploration at Jodrell Bank.

The Lovell telescope, which is 45 years old, has had a é2.5m upgrade to enable scientists to see deeper into space. Rusting steel plates on the telescope's giant dish have been replaced and a new drive system installed.

The revamp will enable scientists at the observatory - operated by Manchester University - to study a greater range of frequencies from outer space and help them to discover new galaxies.

Sir Bernard said: "When built, the telescope had been expected to have an operational life of only some 10 years. I'm delighted that, 45 years later, not only is it in daily use but is capable of a far wider range of observations. It is a truly magnificent achievement."

The prince completed his visit to Cheshire at the Anderton boat lift, near Northwich, which has recently undergone a é7m restoration to help create a new golden age of canal travel.